Expanding arbor for winding and unwinding of strips



Dec. 3, 1968 J. GAUDIN 3,414,210

EXPANDING ARBOR FOR WINDING AND UNWINDING OF STRIPS Filed Feb. 24, 1967ATTORNEY United States Patent 4 Claims. 2:1. 242-72 ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An expanding arbor comprising a cone of polygonalcross-section having outer segments slidably mounted thereon. Inflatableflat tubular members are disposed between the core and segments to allowof free lateral deformation of said members and cause expansion of thesegments to hold a coil of material.

The present invention relates to improvements in expanding arbors ormandrels, more particularly of the type used for the winding andunwinding of materials in strip or web form, such arbors including meansto vary the diameter thereof between limits, to facilitate both theirremoval from and insertion into a wound roll or coil of material.

Expanding winding arbors or mandrels are already used in connection withthe winding of material in strip or web form on reels, for examplecertain metallurgical products, such as plate or sheet metal or thelike. After winding of the strips or webs, withdrawal of the arbor wouldbe impossible unless the latter were arranged or constructed to allow ofretraction or reduction of the diameter thereof. Similarly, for thepurpose of unreeling or uncoiling the same strips or webs, the arbormust be temporarily contracted, to allow of its insertion into the rollor coil,

and then expanded to cause the roll or coil to rotate with the arbor.

In order to achieve the foregoing end, it is customary to subdivide theexternal part of arbors of this type into a plurality of longitudinalsegmental elements arranged to be displaced radially by the action ofmechanical means, such as cams, ramps, connecting rods, cones or thelike expanding and contracting devices or mechanisms. The constructionof such arbors and their actuating elements is both complex anddifficult, as well as time consuming. Besides, their operation is notalways safe or perfect in view of jamming actions which are likely tooccur and the more to be feared the greater the longitudinal dimensionof the arbor.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is theprovision of an expanding and contracting arbor of the referred to typewhich is substantially devoid of the foregoing and related drawbacks anddefects inherent in the known strip winding and unwinding devicesaccording to the prior art.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an improvedexpanding arbor of the referred to type which is both simple inconstruction as well as direct and positive in its operation, comparedwith similar winding arbors or mandrels heretofore known and used in theart.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary Objects as well asnovel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingforming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an expanding arborconstructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, onesegmental element of the arbor being shown, for purposes ofillustration, in expanded position and another segmental element beingshown in retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, the arborbeing shown in its retracted position;

FIG. 3 is a further vertical cross-section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1,the arbor being shown in its expanded position;-and

FIG. 4 is still a further vertical cross-section taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 1 with the arbor being shown in its expanded position.

Like reference numerals denote like parts and elements in the diflerentviews of the drawing.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally theprovision of a Winding arbor or mandrel of the referred to type,comprising essentially a plurality of expansible and contractibleradially displaceable longitudinal segmental elements mounted upon acentral core or body and improved means to operate said elementspneumatically or hydraulically by means of inflatable members of elasticmaterial inflated with a suitable pressurized fluid medium, inparticular compressed air, though not limited thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the core or central body .1of the arbor is extended on one side by a driving spindle 2 supported byball or roller bearings 3 and 4 which may be mounted in suitablesupports, such.

as the frame of a reduction gearing or the like, outside of which thespindle 2, being provided with an axial duct 5 extending into the core1, carries a rotary joint 6 of well-known form. Connected to the latteris a pipe or line 7 leading to a source of a pressurized fluid, such ascompressed air. The mechanism for the driving and braking of the spindle2 and core 1 (not shown as being beyond the scope of the invention) maybe advantageously disposed between the bearings 3 and 4.

The core or body 1 of the arbor is of polygonal crosssection, that is,square in the example illustrated, or with the outer segments 8amounting to four in number. As will be understood, a smaller or greaternumber of segments conforming with the cross-section of the body 1, thatis, other than square, may be provided for the purpose of the invention.At all events, the outer surfaces of the segments 8 are practicallycontinuous in the retracted or return position, presenting asubstantially cylindrical surface, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2 andin the lower part of FIG. 1. In practice, the number of segments may,for instance, vary between three and eight.

At each of the two extremities of each segment 8 there acts an elementfor both their radial guidance and entrainment during rotation of thearbor, said elements consisting, in the example shown, of bolts or guidepins 9 screwed into the body 1 and having a circular head 9' in closefitting sliding engagement with corresponding bore 10 of the segments 8which are thus solidary in rotation with the body 1, while affording aradial displacement relative to said body in both directions. The radialor outward stroke of the elements 8 is limited by the heads 9 of thepins 9 engaging inturned flanges at the base of the bores 10 acting asstops, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The segments 8 are normally urged to their retracted position by theaction of sets of resilient return elements equally arranged at boththeir extremities and at points beyond the pins 9. At the free end ofthe arbor 1, driven by the spindle 2 cantilever fashion, that is to sayits lefthand extremity in FIG. 1, the resilient return elements consist,in the example shown, of an appropriate number of tension coil springs11 anchored at one of their extremities on the body 1 of the arbor andconnected at their other extremity to the segments 8. At this free endof the arbor, the resilient return elements 11 are thus completely clearof the outer surface of the arbor. By contrast, at its internalextremity, that is to say its righthand extremity in FIG. 1, compressionsprings 12 are employed as return elements being interposed between aninternal bearing face formed at the corresponding extremity of thesegments 8, on the one hand, and another outer bearing face formed onthe inner face of a crown or ring 13 being fast on the holy 1, on theother hand. The peripheral surface of the ring 13, being still clear ofthe coil or roll to be wound or unwound, may be of optional diameter.

According to the invention, there is interposed between the centralportions of the polygonal outer faces of the body 1 and each of thesegmental elements 8 an inflatable cushion or tubular member -14 beingflat in the idle or collapsed condition and made of any suitable singleor composite and appropriate deformable (elastic) material, for examplenatural or synthetic rubber or a synthetic plastic, capable of changingfrom the deflated or collapsed position as shown in FIG. 2 to aninflated or expanded condition, as illustrated in FIG. 3. More than oneinflatable member 14 may be provided for each segment 8, if desirable orrequired.

Each of the flat tubular members 14 is connected, via suitable joints(not shown), to a radial passage 15 in the core 1 which is incommunication with the axial duct 5 of the core and spindle 2. Thepressurized fluid used for inflation of the members 14 may for examplebe air compressed to a pressure of between 3 and kgs. per cm.

In operation, if the members 14 are not supplied with fluid underpressure, the springs 11 and 12 act to urge the segments 8 to theirretracted position shown in FIG. 2 and the lower part of FIG. 1, therebyexpelling any air or other fluid contained in the members. In otherwords, in the retracted condition, FIG. 2, members 14 have a rel ativelysmall thickness. As a consequence, the arbor may now be inserted into aroll or coil which is to be unwound.

By the actuation of appropriate control elements (not shown), compressedair or the like fluid is then introduced, via the ducts 5 and 15, intothe members 14 which, by expansion and in overcoming the force of thesprings 11 and 12, repel the segments 8 to their expanded position asillustrated in FIG. 3, in which position the arbor is firmly wedged inthe roll or coil to be unwound. In other words, in the expandedcondition, FIG. 3, the members 14 are deformed to a greater thicknessand reduced width, compared with the retracted condition according toFIG. 2. During this radial displacement of the segments 8, the latterare guided by the heads 9 of the bolts or pins 9 sliding in the bores10. The arbor may then be driven in rotation with the spindle 2, toentrain the roll or coil, its rotation being transmitted to the segments8 by the bolts or pins 9.

As pointed out hereinabove, at the extreme position of expansion of thesegments 8, the heads 9' bear against the flange at the bottom of thebores 10,- thus limiting the outward radial stroke or displacement ofthe segments. The bolts or pins 9 thus accomplish a threefold purpose,to wit the radial guidance of the segments 8, limitation of theiroutward radial displacement, and their entrainment during rotation ofthe arbor.

The combination according to the invention, involving the use ofpneumatic or hydraulic expansion means in cooperation with resilientreturn means, is both simple in construction and eflicient in operation,ensuring thereby a positive and reliable operation under practically anycircumstances and without the requirement of mechanically complexcontrol and operating devices or.

mechanisms.

As will be understood, when using compressed air or a like compressiblefluid as operating medium for the members 14, the latter may be inflatedand deflated intermittently by the provision of suitable valve means(not shown) inserted in the duct 5. On the other hand, when using anon-compressible fluid as operating medium, such as oil, for the members14, the latter must be operated continuously via the line 7 and rotatingjoint 6, in a manner well known to and understood by those skilled inthe art.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to anillustrative and exemplary device. It will be evident, however, thatvariations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalentparts or elements for those shown and described for illustration may bemade without departing from the broader scope and spirit of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims. The specification anddrawing is accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than ina restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. An expanding winding arbor comprising in combination:

(1) an inner core of polygonal cross-section having a plurality of outerplanar faces,

(2) a plurality of segmental elements disposed in angularly juxtaposedrelation and having internal planar faces each parallel to and spacedfrom a face of said core,

(3) a plurality of inflatable tubular members of deformable elasticmaterial each interposed between and engaging a pair of opposite facesof said core and elements,

(4) radial supporting and guide means for said elements disposed at theouter ends of said core exteriorly of said members, to allow of radialexpansion and retraction of said elements in respect to said core,

(5) resilient biasing means to urge said elements to a retractedposition relatively close to said core, and

(6) means to apply a pressurized fluid to said members, whereby todeform the same against the action of said resilient means and toradially expand said members.

2. An expanding arbor as claimed in claim 1, said guide means beingcomprised of a plurality of radial guide pins extending from said coreand engaging bores in the adjacent elements, and cooperating stop meansupon said pins and elements, to limit the radial expansion of saidelements.

3. An expanding arbor as claimed in claim 1, said core being rotativelysupported at one end cantilever fashion and said resilient means beingcomprised of tension springs disposed each between the free end of saidcore and the adjacent elements and compression springs disposed eachbetween the opposite ends of said core and the adjacent elements.

4. An expanding arbor as claimed in claim 1, said arbor having a centralduct communicating with radial ducts each connected to one of saidmembers for inflation and deflation thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,950,071 8/ 1960 Tidland 242723,273,817 9/ 1966 Damiron 24272 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,254,383 1/1961 France.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner.

